coulter



No. 236,783. Patented Jan. 18,1881.

humm. l l INVENToR n l Uf zmm I 010ML); i z'sneegp-sheenz.- w. B. COULTER,

Lantern Holder. Nn. 42H36,`783. A .Patented Jafn. I8', 188|,

af w"LA lill r WITNESSES` Y Y myEN'ron ATTORNEY v .FETERS. PHOTO-UTHDGHAPHER, WASHINGTON. D. C.

'PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. COULTER, OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

' LANTERN--HO L-DER.

SPECIFICATION-forming partgofi Letterslatent No.-236,783, dated JanuarylS, 1881.

` Application filed November '24, 1880. (Model.)

' To all 'whom it may concern :V

Be it known that `I,fWM. B. COULTER, of Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lantern-Holders and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as .will enable others skilled in the art to whichit pertains to makeand use it, reference being had to the accompanyin g drawings, which form part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in lantern-holders, and is designed to provide a device of thisl character whereby a lantern may be detachably secured to and underneath the body of a vehicle by means of a clamp combining simplicity of construction, durability in use, and cheapness of production, together with a wide range of adjustment, ease of operation, and an elegant and neat appearance.

.With theseobjects in lview, my invention consists, irst, inthe combination, with an npper jaw or bracket adapted tobe secured to the body of avehicle, and having a depending flange, 4the lower face whereof is recessed, of a pivotal clamp adapted to engage the under face of a lantern-tube to hold it in position in the recess of the depending flange of the bracket.

My invention .further consists in the combination, with an upper jaw or bracket having a recessed depending ange, a 4circular aperture, and aA horizontal slotopening Vthereinto, of a bolt the head offwhich is Vreceived in the aperture and in the horizontal slot of the npper jaw, a thumbscrew adapted to be screwed to the free endof the bolt, and a pivotal clamp perforated to receive the said bolt and adapted to be operated by means of the thumb-screw.

My inventionfurther consists in the combination, with anl upper jaw or bracket having a recessed depending flange at its outer end and a depending flange atits inner end, of a lower jaw or clamping device provided with two open arms at its outer and a foot at its inner end, which latter isadapted to be received in the chambered 'flange at the inner end of the upper jaw.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a jaw or bracket having a depending ange, thelower face whereof is recessed to receive ythe upper face of the cross-tube of a lantern and such devices as may be attached thereto, of a clamp to engage with the lanterntube to hold it in the recess of the upper jaw, as described.

My invention further consists in the combination, with a jaw or bracket having a depending flange, the lower face whereof is recessed to receive the upper face of the cross-tube of a lantern, of a clamp provided with two open arms adapted to engage on either side of the central tube with the lower face of the crosstube of a lantern.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a view, inV perspective, of my improved lantern-holder with a tubular lantern attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a View, in vertical crosssection, of the holder only. Fig. 3 is a view of the upper face of the upper jaw or bracket of the clamp, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of the under side of the lantern -holder as arranged in operative adjustment.

Let A representa stationary plate or bracket forming the upper jaw of the clamp, and adapted, by means of, the laterally-projecting ears a a, perforated and countersunk at a', and a perforation, a?, in the rear end of the jaw, to be screwed or bolted to and underneath the body of a vehicle. The extreme rear end of the jaw A is provided with a depending ilange, A', forming a three-walled chamber, having that end facing the dependingilange A2 open. Midway the length of the jaw a circular aperture, a3, is formed, which has communication with a longitudinal slot, a4, formed in front thereof, and which extends forward between the ears an. This aperture a3, together with its longitudinal slot a4, is designed to receive and retain the head of a bolt, A3, which secures the lower jaw, B, of the clamp to the stationary jaw A thereof. A depending dan ge, A2, at right angles to the length of the jaw A, of which it forms the extreme outer end, is recessed on its under side, at A4, bifurcated midway of its length, at B', and otherwise adapted by various configurations of structure to correspond with the upper face of the cross-tube of a tubular lantern. In most constructions of tubular lantern the handle by which it is carried is attached to the upper surface of the cross-tube, and to receive this handle and al- IOO low the arms b' of the said flange A2 to fit down over the cross-tube, I have provided the deepest portion of the recess A4 with a narrow' groove, b2, to receive the handle. The lan teruhandle fitting in this recess b2 breaks the curved upper surface of the handle and operates like a key to lock the grasp of the upper and under jaws of the clamp on the upper and under faces of the crosstube. Bifurcation slot B' admits the fingerloop of the lantern, by means of which the lantern-dome is raised to release the cylinder thereof. Steps b3, formed on each side of the bifurcation slot B', are adapted to fit down upon the plate, which fits over the central tube of the lantern, and in which the finger-loop, before alluded to, has vertical movement.

From the above description it will be seen that the depending flange A2 has its lower face recessed and otherwise configurated to fit the style of tubular lantern in most common use. However,it is apparent that my invention fairly embraces any other configuration or adaptation .to which I may resort to conform the holder to other forms of lantern. In use, the bolt A, which connects the two jaws of the clamp, must be adapted to have free movement in the slot a, and to be removed therefrom, as occasion may require. In order to permit this movement, a space must be left between the face of the upper jaw and the vehicle-body to which it is attached, said space being obtained by forming the ears a a above the upper face of thejaw A, and also forming an abutment, bs, at the rear end thereof'.

Having thus described the upper jaw of the clamp, I will proceed to describe the lower jaw, B, thereof, which consists of a shank, B', having two arms, B2 B, at its outer end, said arms being sufficiently separated from each other to admit between them the center tube of a lantern. The upper faces of the arms B2 B3 are concaved, to grasp the under face of the central tube and secure it in position. Midway the length of the shank B' of the jaw B a hole, C, is provided, through which the bolt A3 is passed, and which is fitted at its lower end with a thumb-screw, C', by means of which latter the clamping adjustment of the jaws A and B is effected. A projecting foot, U2, is formed at the extreme inner end of jaw B, and is adapted to be received within the three-walled chamber formed by the flange A' of the bracket, thereby substantially forming a pivotal adjustment for the inner end of the jaw B.

It is apparent that by removing the thumbscrew from the lower end of the bolt the jaw B may at once be removed from connection with the jaw A; or, again, if desired to reremove the lower from connection with the upper jaw, A, the thumb-screw may be manipulated suflciently to allow the foot C' to be released from engagement with the flange A', forming the three-wall chamber, as before described. The lower jaw may now be drawn back or turned at right angles to the bracket and the bolt slipped out of the horizontal slot a4 into the circular aperture a3, from which it may be withdrawn, together with its bolt and thumb-screw, and may be readily adjusted to any other vehicle provided with the stationary upper jaw or bracket.

From the description hereinabove given, and

with the aid of the accompanying drawings, the manner of using my device is too apparent to need but a very brief description. It is first necessary to lower the jaw B suficiently to allow the cross-tube of a tubular lantern to be inserted between the depending flange of the stationary jaw and the open arm of the pivotal lower jaw. When this has been accomplished the thumb-screw may be manipulated to clamp the lower jaw tightly up against the lower face of the erosstube, which, in turn, will operate to press the upper face of said tube into close and firm contact with the recess in the lower face of the depending flange of the bracket. The connection thus formed will hold the lautern perfectly firm againstvertical or lateral displacement, and, further, is a connection that cannot be impaired or undone by the jar or strain of travel.

If desired, the open arms of the lower jaw and the recessed flange of the jaw A may be serrated or in any way roughened; but it is thought that this will not be necessary, in view of' the fact that, even if the tube should become free or slip, the keying device brought about by the reception of the lantern-handle in the narrow recess of the bracket-flange, together with the leverage obtained by the engagement with the top plate of the central tube of the steps formed on either side of the bifurcation B', would efiecually counteract such slipping tendency, and no evil consequences would result.

It is also apparent that I may, if found expedient, substitute a hinge for the connection form ed at the rear extremities ofthe upper and lower jaws, and consisting of the reception of a foot with a chambered flange; or, again, a ball-and-socket joint may be made use of at this point.

My improved lantern-holder is a simple construction, and may be easily attached to a vehicle. It is of compact form and out of the way when not in use. It perfectly answers every end of invention, and may, moreover, be manufactured and supplied to the trade at aslight cost.

I would have it understood that I do not limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement of parts as shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such slight changes as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a lantern-holder, the combination, with an upper jaw or bracket adapted to be secured to the body of a vehicle and having a depending flange, the lower face whereof is recessed,

IOO

IIO

of a pivotal clamp adapted to engage the under face of Aa4 lantern-tube to hold it in position in the recess of the depending ange of the bracket, substantially as set forth.

2. In alantern-holder, the combination, with an upper jaw or bracket adapted to be secured to the body of a vehicle, and having a recessed depending flange at its outer extremity, of a two-armed pivotal clamp adapted to engage the under face of a lantern-tube to retain it in the recess ofthe depending ange of the upper jaw of the clamp, substantially as set forth.

3. In a lantern'holder, the combination, with an upper jaw or bracket having a recessed depending lan ge, a circular aperture, and a horizontal slot opening thereinto, of a bolt, the head of which is received in the aperture and in the horizontalslot ofthe upper jaw, a thumbscrew adapted to be screwed to the free end of the bolt, and a pivotal clamp perforated to receive the said bolt and adapted to be operated by means of the thumb-screw, substantially as set forth.

4. In a lantern-holder, the combination, with' an upper jaw or bracket having a recessed depending flange at its outer end and a depend- 5. In a lantern-holder, the combination, with a jaw or bracket having a depending ange, the lower face whereof is recessed to receive the upper face of the cross-tube of a lantern and such devices as may be attached thereto, of a clamp to engage with the lantern-tube to hold it in the recess of the upper jaw, as described, substantially as set forth.

6. In alantern-holder, the combination, with a jaw or bracket having a depending ange, the lower face whereof is recessed to receive the upper face of the cross-tube of a lantern, of a clamp provided with two open arms adapted to engage on either side of the central tube with the lower face of the cross-tube of a lantern, substantially as set forth.

7. In a lantern-holder, the combination, with a jaw or bracket having a depending ange, the lower face whereof is recessed to receive the cross-tube and handle, bifurcated to admit the finger-loop, and stepped to receive the central tube-plate of a lantern, of a clamp to engage with the lower face of the cross-tube of said lautern, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of November, 1880:

WILLIAMl B. COULTER.

Witnesses:

S. P. NEwELL, N. E. PIERCE. 

